This invention relates to a hand-held portable computer and, more particularly, to a hand-held computer with an adjustable handle.
Hand-held portable computers are used by a variety of enterprises including manufacturing firms, department, grocery and drug stores, transportation companies, package delivery services, insurance firms and utility companies. Hand-held computers are advantageously employed to facilitate such diverse business functions as inventory control, production scheduling and expediting, billing and both package route tracking.
Hand-held computers, including pen computers and touch screen computers, are gaining popularity in the hand-held computer market. A pen computer is a portable computer including a housing enclosing a microprocessor and associated circuitry and an interactive visible display screen, often referred to as an electronic workslate. Instead of using a keyboard to enter data and initiate processing routines, a pen computer utilizes either a cordless electromagnetic pen or an electromagnetic pen tethered to the housing to interact with the microprocessor. By appropriately touching the display screen with the pen, a user many input data and access stored data, boot tip in operating system, change screen displays or menus, select and run programs from a set of application and utility programs stored in computer memory and enter processing or query commands. The pen computer also includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data via radio frequency signals and input/output ports to interface with various devices.
A touch screen computer is similar to a pen computer but, instead of using an electromagnetic pen to interface with the computer, a touch sensitive display screen is provided and the user interfaces with the computer by appropriately touching areas of the display screen with his or her finger to execute commands, enter data, respond to prompts, etc.
As user mobility is a key advantage of hand-held computers, such computers will often be operated by a user who is standing or walking, e.g., a user entering inventory data into the computer while walking through a warehouse. To use a pen computer in standing position, the electronic pen is grasped in the user""s writing hand while the housing is supported in the other hand by grasping an edge of the housing with the hand such that the user""s fingers extend over a bottom surface of the housing and a thumb extends over a portion of an upper surface of the computer housing. Alternately, the computer may be supported by the user""s forearm. In this position, a lower surface of the computer rests on the forearm and palm and the user grips the computer by curling his or her fingers curl over an edge of the housing. Either method of holding the computer is awkward and tiring and requires an application of significant force by user to grip the computer. In addition, repetitive use of the computer can cause discomfort because the user must angle his or her wrist to orient the display screen in a readable position.
The weight of a pen computer is appreciable, approximately five pounds. Holding such a five pound instrument for extended periods with one hand will induce fatigue in the user""s grasping hand, wrist and arm. Compounding this problem is the fact that the user must use the pen in his or her writing hand, thereby precluding the possibility of alternating the hand holding the computer to ameliorate fatigue.
Similarly, a touch screen computer is held in one hand or supported by the user""s forearm as described above. The user employs the index finger of his or her free hand (usually the writing hand) to appropriately touch the screen.
Ergonomic theories teach the importance of designing products suitable to human physiological capabilities and limitations. A pen computer or touch screen computer which does not provide an ergonomically proper means of holding and positioning the computer can lead to a marked decline in user productivity as the work day continues as a result of increasing fatigue. Additionally, subjecting a user of a pen or touch screen computer to hand, wrist and arm fatigue may result in long term health problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
A hand-held portable computer made according to this invention includes a housing at least partially enclosing computer electronics, a visible display screen supported by the housing and a handle assembly connected to the housing. The handle assembly includes a handle support, a support retainer affixed to the housing at a location opposite the screen and a handle supported by the handle support. The support retainer adjustably connects the handle support to the housing.
In the preferred embodiment, the handle support is rotatably adjustable with respect to the housing, The handle support includes an annular ring having a indentations on one surface and the support retainer includes a detent which engages an aligned one of the indentations to secure the handle support in a desired rotational orientation. The support retainer further includes an annular surface and shoulder adjacent its outer periphery providing thrust and bearing surfaces for the handle support annular ring. The annular ring includes a pair of handle attachment members which extend outwardly from the annular ring and away from the housing. The handle attachment members optionally support a plurality of handle configurations.
As the handle support and handle may be rotatably adjusted with respect to the housing, a user of the pen computer will choose a rotation orientation which is comfortable and secure. If the user tires of a chosen handle orientation, the position of the handle may be expeditiously changed to a new desired position. Additionally, a variety of handle configuration afford the user the opportunity to select an ergonomically proper handle size and shape.
In an alternate embodiment, the handle assembly functions as a universal joint in that it is both rotatably and pivotably adjustable with respect to the housing. The handle assembly includes a handle support rotatably affixed to the housing, a pair of handle attachment extensions hinged to the handle support and a handle supported by the pair of handle attachment extensions. A cam latching mechanism secures the handle support in a desired rotational orientation with respect to the housing. A surface of the housing facing the handle support assembly includes a plurality of aligned indentations. A detent affixed to the handle support interfits with an aligned one of the indentations to secure the handle support in the desired rotational orientation. Another cam latching mechanism secures the handle attachment extensions and the handle in a desired angular position with respect to the housing. The cam hatching mechanism includes a plurality of indentations on one of the handle support and the handle attachment extension and other of the handle support and handle attachment extension has a detent which engages an aligned one of the indentations to secure the handle attachment extension in the desired angular orientation.
This embodiment provides an additional flexibility in positioning the handle as the handle is both rotationally and pivotably adjustable with respect to the housing. The handle may be advantageously pivoted to a position adjacent the housing when the computer is not being used thereby moving the handle out of harm""s way, providing a streamlined appearance and occupying a minimum of space.
In a third embodiment, the computer includes a display screen housing supporting a visible display screen and a computer housing and handle assembly. The computer housing and handle assembly is rotatably affixed to the display screen housing. The computer housing and handle assembly includes a computer housing which encloses computer electronics, a handle subassembly is coupled to the computer housing and includes a handle for holding the computer and a cam latching mechanism to secure the computer housing and handle assembly in a desired rotational orientation with respect to the display screen housing. The cam latching mechanism includes a plurality of indentations on one of the display screen housing and the housing and handle assembly and the other of the two includes a detent which engages an aligned one of the indentations to secure the housing and handle assembly in the desired rotational orientation. The latching cam mechanism further includes a detent biasing means for biasing the detent to engage the aligned indentation.
In another embodiment, the handle assembly includes a raised member which slidably interfits in a slot in the computer housing. The user can slide the handle assembly along a path of travel parallel to a surface of the computer housing to a selected position.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become better understood from a detailed description of a preferred embodiment which is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.